All Fall Down
by Dracoisalooker76
Summary: Years after the horrible break up, Jeanne encounters Tony when he's the most vulnerable he's ever been and she's forced to make a decision: help him heal or watch him fade away.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Hi, guys! I've been thinking about this story for a while and I finally had the time to sit down and write it. So, this is the prologue. It's about Jeanne. I know, I don't really care for her either, but she is a person and deserves a chance. Also, as I don't really care for this pairing, the story will not be Tony and Jeanne, just to let you know in advance.

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**Prologue**

_When a friend calls to me from the road  
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,  
I don't stand still and look around  
On all the hills I haven't hoed,  
And shout from where I am, What is it?  
No, not as there is a time to talk.  
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,  
Blade-end up and five feet tall,  
And plod: I go up to the stone wall  
For a friendly visit. _

Robert Frost's A Time to Talk 

"Oh, this break did not come fast enough!"

Jeanne Benoit chuckled at the nurse by her side. They had just finished a tough shift and both were indeed ready to sit down and relax for a few minutes until they were called in once more. She had been working at Memorial Hospital, which was just outside of Washington, for a few years and was one of the head doctors.

Cara, a small woman in her early sixties, had been a nurse at the hospital for thirty years. She had taken Jeanne under her wing when she first arrived and the two had become friends and talked about everything. But, Jeanne never brought up her past, the years when her life seemed to be out of her control. She had never spoken of _him_ or of how she had been used to get to her father, who stopped speaking to her.

She was about to follow Cara into the cafeteria when she noticed a small girl sitting by herself in a corner. There wasn't a soul in the waiting room so she assumed the child was alone. She told Cara she'd come in a minute and walked over to the little girl.

There was no denying that she was adorable. Her hair was in two pigtails that let the dark curls fall to her shoulders. Her skin was slightly tanned with a few light freckles on her cheeks. She had on a pink t-shirt and a jean skirt with black tights. On her feet were zip up black boots that went to the middle of her shin. She held tightly onto a large stuffed hippo with a spiked dog collar.

"Hello," Jeanne said softly, kneeling down beside her. The girl looked up. Her eyes were light brown with tears threatening to spill. "Are you okay?" Jeanne asked.

The girl didn't speak. Instead her eyes wandered down to the hippo. Jeanne sighed and tried, "I like your hippo."

She seemed to react. She lifted her head, the pigtails swishing. "Thank you," she said with a smile. "Her name is Chaya."

"That's a very pretty name," Jeanne said quietly.

"It means life in Hebrew," she told her with confidence. Then, she leaned forward and whispered in Jeanne's ear, "I am not supposed to talk to strangers."

"That's okay, I work here," Jeanne said, impressed by her speaking skills. She looked to be about four or five but she lacked the heavy lisp that most young children had. Her voice was melodic and high pitch, but sophisticated for a toddler. "Are you here with your mom or dad?"

Tears began to flood her eyes and she tried to push them back. "I am not supposed to cry," she told herself in a harsh tone. She looked up at Jeanne. "I have to be strong for Daddy. Mommy's not usually the one that gets hurt."

Jeanne opened her mouth, but the little girl continued to speak. "Last year, Daddy got hit in the nose by a man who they were trying to get and he is always complaining about how one side of his head is bigger than the other because Grandpa always hits it. When someone's hurt, they usually go to Bethesda, but they came here because it was quicker. I think that means it is bad."

Jeanne nodded, taking in all the information the little girl had told her. Bethesda was the naval hospital in Washington, meaning her parents worked for the navy. The little girl continued with her story and Jeanne felt inclined to listen.

"My aunt brought me here. She picked me up from daycare and she was really quiet. She is not usually quiet. She told me that Mommy was shot and is in surgery. And then, when we walked in, I saw Daddy and he was crying." She sniffled slightly and looked into Jeanne's eyes. "I couldn't stand to see him cry. Do you know what I mean?"

Although she had never seen her father cry, Jeanne nodded her head in agreement. The little girl said something under her breath about her aunt's hippo, Bert, that Jeanne couldn't hear. She was about to ask the little girl what her name was when they heard a sigh of relief.

"Tali!" came the voice. The little girl looked up and Jeanne turned as well. A small, Asian woman walked up to them. "I've been looking all over for you!"

The little girl looked up with innocent eyes. "Really?" she asked with a smirk.

"You're too much like your father," the woman scolded under her breath. Then she turned to Jeanne. "I'm sorry about-"

"Don't say your sorry. It's a sign of weakness," the little girl interrupted.

The woman rolled her eyes. "Anyway, thank you."

Jeanne shrugged. "I didn't really do anything. She did most of the talking."

The smile fading slightly, the Asian woman turned to the little girl. "Come on, Sweetie. Your dad needs to talk to you," she said quietly, holding her hand out for the girl to grab. Instead of holding the woman's hand like most children, the girl stood and walked independently in the direction the woman had come.

Jeanne watched them go, amazed by the little girl's apparent strength and poise. She stood, ready to meet Cara before her break was over, but something caught her eye. She leaned over and lifted the stuffed hippo off the ground, a small smile creeping onto her features. She looked at the hippo before turning back at the door. They were long gone.

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**Okay, so tell me what you think! I love constructed criticism!**

**Review!**


	2. Chapter 1

**I was happy to see all the reviews! Thanks so much everyone. Here's the next chapter! I hope you like it.

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**Chapter 1**

Leaning against the wall, Jeanne let out a loud sigh. She covered her face with her clipboard, allowing it bang slightly against her forehead. Deaths always seemed to come in spurts for her. There would be a week when it seemed nearly all of her patients made complete recoveries and then a rough week would come along.

She was in the middle of a rough week.

And when she worked on children it always seemed worse because of their age. She had just finished telling a woman that her husband and daughter were killed in a car accident. No matter how many times she had seen it, she always felt absolutely terrible telling the news to a loved one.

"Jeanne, you okay?"

She nodded to her fellow doctor. He smiled sympathetically back and continued down the hallway. She hated talking to the wives because it reminded her of how bad she had been at relationships. Wives would tell her: 'we've been together forever,' 'he's my soul mate,' and it always brought her back to her past relationships.

Pushing herself off the wall, she walked down to the nurses station. Cara and two of the other nurses had congregated and looked as if they were making plans for later that night. It was Friday, they usually went out to eat after work.

Jeanne sat down in a chair and pretended to type something on the computer, trying to get the recent memories out of her head. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard and she felt someone squeeze her shoulder. Looking up, she smiled at Cara.

"Are you okay?" Cara asked her, leaning against the counter.

Jeanne nodded, noticing that they were alone. "Yeah, it's just been a rough couple days."

"I know," the older woman replied. "Come with us after work. Get your head out of the hospital."

She nodded her head. "I might. It's really tempting."

Cara smiled and picked up a pen. "So, have you given that hippo to the children's floor yet?"

Jeanne shook her head. She had wanted to give it back to the little girl, but by the time she had gotten a chance to look for her, it was impossible to find her. She had kept the hippo, saying that she would give it to the head of the children's floor, although something told her not to get rid of it. Not because she wanted to keep it, but because something inside her told her to hold on to it for a little bit. She couldn't explain it.

"Jeanne, really," Cara sighed. "You'll never see her again."

"I know, it's just-"

She looked toward the waiting room hearing a loud crash. Everyone in the seats looked just as surprised as she did. She stood and walked in the direction of the noise, Cara following behind her. On the other side of the doors that lead to the patients's rooms were two men.

The one facing her had silver hair and a military haircut. He had his arms crossed over his chest. The other man had his back to her, but she could tell that he was younger than the man and could possibly be his son. He had light brown hair and a familiar build, although she couldn't place him.

"I'll take the older one," Cara joked, but Jeanne didn't respond. She was watching the two men intensely.

They were both in obvious grief, she could tell just from the way they were standing and the tones of their voices. They seemed to be in an argument and from the look on his face, Jeanne guessed the older man was winning.

"No," the man said, placing his hand on the younger man's shoulder.

The hand was shrugged off as the younger man, launched himself at his companion. "You don't understand!"

This was the wrong thing for the young man to say as the older man grabbed on to him and stared him in the eye. With a fierce look in his eye, he hissed, "you don't think I understand? You know about Shannon and you know about Kelly, so you think about that before you tell me that I don't understand what you're going through!"

"I talked to the dumb therapist!" the other man yelled, trying to get out of the grasp he was held in. "I know that Jenny won't let me back until she approves, but please, Gibbs. I need her, I need my daughter."

Gibbs, as Jeanne assumed the man's name was, backed off slightly. His eyes, although still holding a stern look, became more sympathetic. "You'll thank me for this in the future," Jeanne heard him say. "I'm going to take her somewhere she can just be a kid and forget about all of this. When you're ready, I'll come back. You can't let her see you like this, trust me."

The younger man nodded his head, giving in. Gibbs patted his shoulder, hitting the back of his head lightly, before walking out the doors, not even noticing Jeanne and Cara. The two looked at each other and seeing that the ruckus was over, turned to go back to work. A voice called her back and at first she thought it was in her mind.

"Jeanne?"

Cara looked at her, to see if she was going to turn the second time. Slightly confused at who would be calling her, she turned to face the voice. Suddenly, she felt like a deer in headlights. There he was, standing before her very eyes and looking exactly the same as he had years ago. His hair hadn't grayed and his face hadn't wrinkled.

She tried to move but found her feet cemented to the floor. So, instead of running, she looked into his face, focusing on the details. His eyes were bloodshot and wet. Dark purple circles had formed under his eyes, contrasting with his face which was pale. She felt Cara disappear from her side.

"Hello, Tony," she said, finally finding her voice.

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**So, what did you think! Tell me what you think!**

**Review!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Wow! Thanks for all the really great reviews! I love reading what you have to say. Also, just to let you know, because this is in Jeanne's POV you might understand some things faster than she will because you see Tony and the rest of the NCIS team all the time on television and know what happens. So, bear with her (and me).**

**Enjoy!

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**Chapter 2**

With her feet cemented to the floor, Jeanne's only option was to look at him, neither she nor he daring to take a step forward. After the first year, she thought she would never see him again. Yet, he always seemed to surprise her. His eyes were focused on the tiles of the floor and she was unable to see his face.

She was confused. What was he doing at her hospital? He was an agent, employed by the navy, so if he was hurt he'd go to Bethesda Naval Hospital. She knew that she should be mad. Anyone would hold a grudge after what he had done to her. He'd used her to get to her father, she was a mission to him.

But, as she tried to work up the anger that she was going to show him, he lifted his head. His eyes were filled with tears. He muttered something and turned around, attempting to pick up a clipboard that was on the ground, the source of the noise that had brought her to the hallway. She took a deep breath and walked to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He tensed under her grip and looked up, a single tear falling from his blue eyes. He pushed himself off the ground and strode passed her. She watched him pause at the door. Turning, he cleared his throat. "Jeanne?"

She nodded, wanting to know what he had to say. He sighed. "Before I go, I just wanted to say...that I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

Without even thinking of what he had said, she whispered, "don't say you're sorry, Tony. It's a sign of weakness."

He tilted his head to the side, looking confused. "Where did you hear that?"

A smile spread over her face, remembering the little girl with the hippo, who had spoken the words four or five days prior. "A patient," she told him, even though she knew it wasn't true. Tony would never know.

He shrugged his shoulders and stuffed his hands in the pocket of his jacket. "Well, I never wanted to hurt you like I did. I just want you to know that," he told her, his voice cracking.

Jeanne watched him turn and start to leave the hospital. She was at a crossroads. Tony had hurt her, he'd broken her heart, and it was the same heart that was breaking again as she saw him obviously hurting. She didn't know what happened or what she could do to help, but she knew that she couldn't let him walk away.

Only, she didn't know if she was doing this because he was in pain or because she was trying to get in contact with Tony DiNardo again. She shut her eyes and told herself that she was seeing Tony DiNozzo. Opening her eyes, she stood and ran out to the lobby where he was at the elevator.

"Tony!" He faced her as the elevator doors opened. "As a doctor I can't let you go in your condition. You shouldn't be driving."

He narrowed his eyes as the elevator closed behind him. "And what condition would that be, Dr. Benoit?" he asked harshly.

She rolled her eyes at his attempt of denial. "Seriously, Tony, anyone with two eyes can see that something's bothering you." She took a step toward him. "The cafeteria is on this floor, I'll show you. Why don't you get something to eat and get your mind off of what's going on?"

He looked away before walking to her. "Lead the way."

Jeanne brought him to the cafeteria and they walked in silence. All he got was a water bottle and for ten minutes, he played with the cap but didn't take a drink. Seeming bored with the bottle, he folded his hands on the table and a shine hit Jeanne's eyes. She nodded her head to his hand, her eyes focused on the thin strip of gold circling his ring finger. "You're married?" she asked.

Immediately, he pulled the ring off, examining it with a disgusted look before gently replacing it on his finger. "Kind of."

Nodding, she dropped the subject. It was apparent that he didn't want to talk about it. Wanting to start a conversation, she asked, "so, was that your father?"

He looked at her questioningly. "Who?"

"The man you were arguing with," she said.

A small smile formed on his lips. "Oh, no," he chuckled. "That's my boss. More like a father than my own was though."

She grinned, happy with the chuckle. Tony took a sip of his water and looked at her. "So, you work here? How long?"

Jeanne told him how long she'd been working at Memorial and the conversation started to go. It seemed like hours that they were chatting. The way they were talking didn't seem like speaking to an ex-lover, she thought, but instead like she was sharing memories with a long lost brother or best friend, someone she cared about yet not sexually.

It was because she was talking to Tony DiNozzo, she decided. She had never known this side of him, only the Tony DiNardo disguise, only the undercover part. He seemed more at ease than he had around her when he'd been undercover.

"So, what was your fight about?" Jeanne questioned.

Tony's entire demeanor changed upon the completion of her sentence. His smile faded and his eyes dulled. Jeanne cursed herself in her mind. She had been trying to help him and instead she put him back into his sorrow.

"My boss just told me that I need to talk to someone," he told her.

She leaned her elbows the table. "You can talk to me," she replied, wanting to help him.

"I don't want to put that on you," he said sternly, standing from the chair. "But, thank you for this. It was nice to talk to you, Jeanne."

He stood for a moment in front of her before turning on his heel to exit the cafeteria. "I'm here if you need me, Tony," she called after him, unaware if he heard her or not.

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**So, that was Chapter 2. How did you like it?**

**Review!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Wow, two chapters in one day! This is a first! I'm happy I got to write so much today because I didn't have a lot of homework! Yeah!**

**Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter. It is greatly appreciated.**

**Enjoy.

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**Chapter 3**

"Okay, Mr. Wilson. I'll be back to check on you in a little bit," Jeanne said to the elderly man laying in the bed in front of her. She marked a few things on her clipboard before passing it the nurse.

"Thank you, Dr. Benoit," he said, his voice hoarse. She patted his bed affectionately and walked out the door and into the hallway. Her shift was almost over. A nurse passed her a patient's file and she skimmed it as she walked to the room. Her hand was on the doorknob when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"So, you didn't tell me how you know him?"

Jeanne rolled her eyes at the bluntness of Cara's question. She gave a small smile. "Cara, not now. I have to go tell Mrs. Simmons how her surgery went."

Cara raised an eyebrow. "They've been waiting all morning, a few more minutes won't matter. Plus, just have Kyle," she waved a young doctor over, "to do it for you. He's been working on her as well."

Jeanne glared at Cara. "Yes, but she's my patient. I'll tell her. It should only take a minute, it looks good," she said, opening the door and ducking into the room before anyone could pull her back.

"Dr. Benoit!" Mr. Simmons said, clearly happy to see her. "The verdict?"

She smiled and spoke to her patient. "Everything seems to be in order, Mrs. Simmons. We'd like to keep you the night for some observations but tomorrow you should be able to go home."

The woman in the bed smiled. "Thank you so much, Dr. Benoit. You've been so good to be," she said in a heavy french accent. "Merci beaucoup," she added.

Jeanne's smile widened. "If you need anything, have a nurse come get me," she told her before leaving the woman and her husband. Outside the door, Cara was waiting, her foot tapping lightly on the floor.

"Yes?" she asked as if she didn't already know what Cara wanted. Then, as she signed a paper, she sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you. I didn't know that you liked to pry."

Cara shrugged. "Only when I need to."

"His name is Tony and it's complicated," she said, not wanting to get into all the details of what happened.

The small woman nodded her head at the information. "Tony, eh? I thought he looked Italian."

Rolling her eyes, Jeanne leaned against a wall. "You know, parents can name their children Tony and not have to be Italian, Cara."

She seemed to think about it for a moment before asking what his last name was. Jeanne just shook her head and pushed off the wall, Cara following behind her. "Oh, just tell me how he knew your name and I will leave you alone."

"As I said," Jeanne muttered, sitting down at the computer in the nurses's station. "It's really complicated and I'd rather not get into it right now."

Cara took the explanation and grabbed a stack of files to sort, leaving Jeanne to herself in the nurses's station. There were a few people sitting in chairs and the bustle and noise of doctors scrambling to get to their patients. She typed in what she needed to on the computer and yawned. A hearty chuckle was heard.

"I think someone's working too hard."

She looked up at the chief of staff. He was an older man in his late fifties with graying hair and bright, abnormally green eyes. George Carter was a happy man and a great boss who cared for his staff. She shrugged as she stifled her yawn.

"I like what I do," she reasoned.

"I know," he told her. "And you're a great doctor, but I think you need to take a vacation." Jeanne must have looked horrified because he continued to say, "remember, this is not because you're a bad doctor. I just think you need to get out of the hospital, just for a day or two to catch up on some sleep."

She opened her mouth to reply and he held up his hand. "You have taken every shift you could ever since you started working here. I think it's time you used up some of those hours of vacation that are building up."

Jeanne sighed. George did have a point. She was an eager worker, but it was because she loved helping people. She'd had a fairly rough week and was feeling tired. Many of her coworkers would be jealous of the amount of vacation time she had stored up over the years. She knew that her vacation would be spent on the couch in her apartment.

"I guess I could catch up on some sleep," she sighed, giving in.

George smiled. "Good girl," he said playfully. "Just a day or two and then you can go back to taking everyone's shifts."

She giggled at his characterization of her. She stood from the computer chair and walked to the locker room. She put on her coat and grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. She slammed the door of her locker shut, the noise ringing throughout the empty room. She walked out the door, waving to Cara as she made her way to the elevator.

"Where you going?" the nurse yelled.

"Home for a couple days," she told her. "George's orders."

Cara waved, muttering something that sounded like finally just loud enough for Jeanne to hear. She grinned as she walked back to the lobby. Her smile disappeared as she noticed a man standing at the counter of the nurses's station. "Tony?" she asked.

He turned to face her. "I think I'd like to take you up on your offer," he said quietly. "You said you'd be here if I needed you."

The corner of Jeanne's lips crept upward as she walked up to him. So, he'd heard her after all.

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**Yeah, it's basically a setup chapter, but it needs to be there. So, you got to see Jeanne at work.**

**Remember to review:)**


	5. Chapter 4

**Okay, here's the next chapter. Hope you like it! **

**Chapter 4**

Tony was quiet for a long time and Jeanne was beginning to wonder if he had changed his mind. She stood in the doorway that lead to her living room area and watched as he sat on her couch, his eyes focused on his hands. He was looking at them as if something had stained them a different color.

Just by the look in his eyes, she knew what he was going to tell her was serious and by his behavior, she knew it might take a while to get all of it out. But looking at him, hurting and slightly shaking, she knew that she was going to help him through it no matter what.

He looked up at her with tears forming in his eyes. "I just stood there and watched," he told her quietly. "I was frozen, Jeanne. It was like I was paralyzed."

Jeanne moved to sit down beside him on the couch and held his shaking hands. "It's okay, Tony," she said. "Tell me what happened."

His eyes glazed over and he seemed to be reliving the memory. Shaking his head, he turned to her. "I need to start at the beginning," he whispered. "If you feel uncomfortable at time, tell me."

She nodded, confused at why she would feel uncomfortable. "Go ahead, Tony."

He took a deep breath. "I don't know when, but I fell in love after you left." He shook his head, but had a smile on his face. "No, you don't want to hear about that."

"No, continue," she said. "Tell me about her."

Tony looked at her for a long time, debating whether she was sincere or not. In the end, he nodded and began to speak once more. "Well, it was completely breaking my boss's rule about dating coworkers, but it was worth the major head slap I got from Gibbs."

Jeanne watched his face as he told her stories. His eyes shined with a certain light she'd never seen before. He didn't look upset during his time telling her of Gibbs and McGee, but she noticed that he was talking about his other coworkers after a while. A prank he played on McGee, a glare he received from Gibbs, a smothering hug from Abby, a story from Ducky. He had taken her completely off topic.

And then his face changed. His eyes darkened and he turned to her. "Ziva was a Mossad officer, you know," he said. "It's a tough place they have in Israel and if I had to guess, she was probably one of the best. She was an assassin when she came here and couldn't drive in the speed limit if her life depended on it."

He chuckled darkly. "I don't know how I missed it. It was so obvious. She was jealous when I went on dates, she always wanted to know everything. And then it finally clicked in my head and we both started being jealous. We wasted so much time."

He looked down at his feet and placed his hands on his knees. Jeanne knew that he was getting to the hard part. Something terrible had happened and he was having trouble telling her about it.

"You don't have to say anymore-" Jeanne started, but he cut her off.

"No," he said, closing his eyes. "I need to do this. If I don't, I don't know what's going to happen to me."

Jeanne nodded her head and sat in silence, waiting for him to begin again. A tear fell from his eye, which he opened slowly, and he looked at her. "I watched. That's all I could do. We were at a crime scene and the guy pulled the gun on me. Gibbs killed him but he had a partner we didn't know about hidden. We didn't have any time to react."

The tears fell fast now as Jeanne placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "She was shot in the chest and there was blood everywhere. I just stood there and watched as McGee called an ambulance and Gibbs...I should have...I could have..."

Jeanne understood the rest. She reached over and pulled him into her arms as the tears ran down his cheeks onto her shoulder. It had been painful to listen to and she couldn't imagine what he was going through. She knew from the tone of voice that he loved her and she was-

"Dead," he whispered, lifting his head from her shoulder. "Dead. That's what the doctor said, just more politely. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. And then I saw her, I saw her on the table and it was awful."

Jeanne felt tears sting her own eyes. She had seen this type of reaction many times before, but seeing it come from Tony was difficult. He was a special agent, he was strong, and the tears were foreign beings on his face.

"Oh, Tony," she said, not know what to tell him.

He covered his face with his hands and the only noise in the room was his quiet sobs. Jeanne just sat beside him on the couch, allowing him to let his emotions out. She was not an expert in this field, but she did know that it was not good to bottle up feelings and that, as it appeared to her, was exactly what Tony had been trying to do.

As his tears subsided, he looked at her. Wiping furiously at his eyes, a determined look spread across his features. "Gibbs took her," he told her. "He said that it was for the best and that when I was able to care for her again, he'd come back."

"Who did Gibbs take?" Jeanne questioned.

"My daughter," he whispered. "And I need her. She's the only thing I have left..."

Jeanne nodded and picked up where he left off. "Of Ziva."

Tony agreed silently, but kept his gaze on her. He didn't say a word for a few minutes and then suddenly, his voice echoed though the room. "Will you help me?"

"Yes," she whispered, understanding that this was what Tony needed. He needed someone to help him grieve. "I will help you, Tony, but it'll take some time. Go, get some rest in my guest room. It's that door down there," she said pointing.

He stood and walked away, closing the door behind him. Jeanne laid down on the couch, letting out a loud sigh. She had a feeling that this was going to be a lot harder than she thought, but she was determined to help him, even if it hurt her in the process. She eyed the ceiling and groaned. What if she wasn't over Tony like she thought she was?

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**So, anything you'd like to tell me? How did you like it? What did you think? I really wanted to get his little tale right, but...tell me what you think. I just hope I got the emotions right.**

**Review!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Hi! Thanks to LadyRynofSunnydale, Ladybug Jess, and dancerlittle for reviewing chapter 4. It is greatly appreciated.**

**Here's the next chapter.**

**Enjoy! **

**Chapter 5**

Jeanne opened her eyes and found herself in her bed. She was fully clothed in her scrubs from work and a confused expression filled her face. She didn't remember going to bed, she remembered taking a nap on the couch after listening to Tony.

She quickly stood and rushed from the room, down the hall to the guest room where Tony had been. The bed was made and the room looked as if it had never been used. There was a piece of paper on the pillow. She stepped quietly toward it and grabbed it in her hand. It was a note in familiar messy handwriting.

_Jeanne, _

_I went home so you could get some rest. Call me later._

_Tony_

She smiled as her eyes scanned the words. Under his name was his phone number and an address. Keeping it in her hands, she walked from the room. As she passed the kitchen, she placed the note on the table and continued to her room. She was going to take a shower before calling Tony, asking him if he wanted to do anything as she didn't have to go into work.

Stepping under the warm water, her mind thought of Tony. His story had been awful to hear and she couldn't imagine having to go through that. She could see that he was not just grieving, but that he felt guilty. 

Her mind brought her back to when she had known him the first time. The words she had written in her final letter to him were fresh in her mind. _I'm not coming back. You need to choose._ He had chosen, and she didn't blame him, to stay with his life, his family, just as she had chosen to come back, although not to Washington. 

She wondered why she was helping him. Was it purely out of the goodness of her heart? She didn't know, but she did know that when she came back there was a chance she would see him again. He had chosen and, she guessed, it was time for her to get to know Anthony DiNozzo instead of the non-existent Tony DiNardo.

Her hand reached for the lever that turned the water off and she covered herself with a towel. A bird was chirping outside the window. She quickly changed and glanced at the clock. It was already nearing noon. Walking to the kitchen, she lifted the piece of paper from the table and dialed the numbers. It rang twice before Tony's voice filled her ear.

"Good afternoon, Jeanne."

She shook her head. "So, you left last night."

"Yeah, I wanted to try to go to work. I got kicked out by my boss," Tony told her.

"Oh," Jeanne said. "Gibbs's back?"

He chuckled. "No. My other boss, Jenny." She could hear him drumming his pencil on a table. "Are you doing anything today?"

"No, I got kicked out of work too."

She knew his eyebrows were raised. "And why would that be, Dr. Benoit?" he asked using an awful impersonation voice.

"I'm a workaholic," she grinned.

"You should really get to know Gibbs. He works all the time too, which means I'm stuck there with him. And when he's not working, he's building boats in his basement," Tony said, the drumming in the background stopping and his voice softened. "He's been teaching my daughter how to sand them down."

Jeanne smiled. "He seems like a nice guy," she commented. "Do you want to do anything today?"

"Actually, there's something I need to talk to you about," he said softly. "I keep having this dream, so...I was wondering if you could help me with it."

"Of course, Tony."

The two decided on meeting at a small café in Georgetown before hanging up. She grabbed her keys and left for her car. When she reached the café, Tony was already there, playing with the salt shaker at a booth. She slid in across from him and he looked up.

"Hi," he said. "How are you?"

"How are _you_ is the real question," she told him. "How are you, Tony?"

His eyes fell to the mound of salt he had been playing with and he sighed. He pushed the salt onto a napkin before looking up at her with a solemn look on his face. "When do they stop?" he whispered.

She thought about what he was asking and was about to ask what he meant, when he added, "the nightmares, when do they stop?"

Tears were coating his eyes and she took his hand in hers. "Tony, you're grieving. It's going to take some time. But you have people who are willing to help you through this."

"Oh, yeah," he scoffed. "Like who?"

"Me," she answered, knowing that he was angry at the situation he was in. He paused and looked to her, clearly thankful for her presence. "As I said, it will take some time. There are stages to grief and I'll help you through them."

A tear slid down Tony's face. "I still don't believe that she's gone, even though I already...buried her."

Jeanne opened her mouth to speak but Tony wasn't done. "But she's gone. She's gone, Jeanne, and she's never coming back," he whispered as quiet tears slid down his cheeks.

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**So, what did you think? Sorry it was so short. **

**Review!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Alright! I just want to thank every single one of you that gave me a review! It's made me very happy to see that so many people liked it. Vampirewhore962 (now VAMP962), LadyRynofSunnydale, Kit, Tiva4evr, dancerlittle, special agent Ali, Kelly, Ladybug Jess, and mtee1958.**

**Sorry about the long wait. Our Internet wasn't working so I had to wait for it to be fixed.**

**Thanks for reading! I hope you like this chapter! 

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**

**Chapter 6**

Jeanne opened the door and led Tony inside. He was quiet as he walked behind her, his eyes filled with tears. She had decided to bring him back to her apartment so he wouldn't feel as if he was being watched. The people in the café had been quite nosy in her opinion.

"Go sit, Tony," she instructed as she placed a pot of boiling water on stove. She leaned against the counter waiting for the kettle to hiss when a loud crash filled her ears. She rushed into the room to find Tony on the floor, surrounded by books that had fallen off of her bookshelf. He was muttering that he was sorry over and over again. She started to pick up the books when a small chuckle escaped from his mouth.

"What?" she asked.

He chuckled before holding up a book. "I didn't strike you as a Thom. E. Gemcity fan."

She grabbed the book from his hand. "I take it you aren't."

Tony just shook his head and pulled out another book that was hidden under the pile. He held it up, showing the cover. It was _Deep Six_. "I don't typically read books about myself," he told her, flipping through the pages. "But, I did read this particular one twice."

Shocked at his words, Jeanne raised an eyebrow. He smiled using only the corners of his lips and explained in further detail. "L. J. Tibbs is my boss, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Agent McGuire is Agent McGee, otherwise known at Thom. E. Gemcity. Take a guess at who Agent Tommy is."

"You," Jeanne said, understanding what he was getting at. "So, are these real cases?"

Tony shook his head. "It's a work of fiction, for the most part."

The two placed the books on the shelf in silence. When most of the books were back in their places, Tony put _Deep Six_ in its spot before leaning against the bookshelf. He sighed. "Officer Lisa was Ziva. I don't know what McGee's going to do. I don't think he has the guts to kill her off. He probably thinks I'd murder him."

Jeanne saw the tears in Tony's eyes as he tried to make a joke. She reached forward and placed a hand on his. They sat there for a few minutes in complete silence, the only sound being the hissing from the kettle that Jeanne ignored. Tony calmed himself and Jeanne took this as her chance to get the boiling water. She poured it into a cup and put a tea bag in it, aware that Tony wasn't really a tea type of person. The taste of it always helped her feel better after a completely awful day.

She walked into living area where Tony was on the couch and saw rage in his eyes. _Deep Six_ had made it to the coffee table and was open to a page in the middle. Tony turned to her and let out a small growl. "Why did this have to happen to me?" he hissed in a small voice. "Is this punishment for everything I've done in the past?"

Jeanne sat beside him and placed the cups on the table. He was shaking, his jaw quivering. She didn't touch him, not knowing if he wanted to be touched. She didn't talk, knowing he didn't want to communicate. He was out of the stage of denial that had seemed to come and go and was now angry.

Then, he turned to her. "You know, maybe Gibbs was right in taking her," he said in an uncharacteristically gravelly voice. "Because I'm never going to get over this."

"You will, Tony," Jeanne told him quietly.

"No, I won't," he told her. "I'm a terrible person. I just stood there. I could have done something, anything. It's just not fair! It should have been me!"

Tony leaned against the couch, his head hitting the wall behind him while he shut his eyes, a small stream of water coming from the corners of his eyes. Jeanne sighed and patted his shoulder. He would be alright, she told herself. In time, he would be alright.

The tears subsided and Tony took a sip from the tea, making a small face at the taste. Jeanne giggled as he tried to drink it without her knowing he didn't like it. "What was that?" he asked as he took his final sip.

"Tea," she said simply. He bit his lip and she added, "You'll be okay, Tony."

"Then how come I fell like I'm...I don't even know...helpless, useless?" He looked at the floor and held his hands to his face. "I can't even remember what she sounds like anymore."

Before Jeanne could say anything, Tony chuckled. "But I do remember American idioms drove her up the _hall_."

They both smiled and Tony continued. "She could never get them right. She got better eventually, but..." he grinned, clearly remembering something. He looked to Jeanne and smiled. "One time, she told McGee he looked like he saw a goat."

The two chuckled. "She meant ghost, obviously," Tony said. Then, he shook his head. "I just hope I don't forget her."

"You won't," Jeanne reassured him.

He grinned. "Yeah, I know. My daughter looks just like her. You'll have to meet her when Gibbs brings her back," he said.

Jeanne nodded, a smile playing with her lips. "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot, Tony."

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**So, what do you think?**

**Remember, reviews make me happy!**

**Review!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Okay. I want to thank vamp926, dancerlittle, LadyRynofSunnydale for reviewing. Thanks for taking your time to leave a message. They make my day and you three are my constant reviewers. I can count on you to leave a note. Thanks again.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

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**Chapter 7**

Jeanne walked into the lobby of the hospital after her little vacation feeling as if she had really accomplished something. She had seen a lot of improvement in Tony and although she knew his grieving process had only just begun, she saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He knew that he could get through this tough time.

She grabbed a stack of charts, her mind still on Tony. He was visiting a friend, she thought he had said McGee. She smiled, realizing that she was remembering right because McGee wasn't working as well, as Tony and Gibbs, his two coworkers, were on temporary leaves of absence.

"Jeanne!"

Cara grabbed a marker and wrote something on the board, giving her friend a smile in greeting. "I'm glad you're back. Did you catch up on some sleep?"

Jeanne shook her head. "No, actually I didn't."

The nurse sent her a sly grin. "It didn't have anything to do with that Italian boy, did it?"

Rolling her eyes, Jeanne took the marker and placed the cap back on it. "It did, but not in the way you think." She turned to walk away, but felt Cara's curious eyes on her. She sighed. "Tony is my friend and he's having a tough time right now."

"Look," Cara said, pulling Jeanne toward the cafeteria. "I have a break right now and you don't have to start for another hour. I've been going out of my mind trying to figure out what's going on between you two."

"There's nothing going on," Jeanne insisted pulling her arm out of Cara's grip. "I'm just helping him right now."

Cara nodded her head, the look on her face showing that she knew the whole story had yet to come out. "How do you know him anyway?" she asked, nonchalantly grabbing a few files from the table. "He's very cute...and so was that man he was with. Very handsome."

Jeanne froze. What was she supposed to say? The situation didn't exactly flatter either her or Tony. But Cara was one of the best friends she had ever had and if there was someone Jeanne trusted to know of her past, it was her. "He's a special agent," Jeanne said. "The other man was his boss."

"How do you know a special agent?" Cara asked, clearly impressed by Tony's title.

She let her eyes fall to the floor and pulled the older woman into a vacant room. She leaned against a wall. It was time for her to tell her story, time to let out her feelings.

"Back when I worked at Uni Hospital is when I met Tony, except at the time he was Tony DiNardo. His real name's Anthony DiNozzo." She looked up to see if Cara was understanding her. The nurse was nodding her head, her forehead furrowed in slight confusion, so Jeanne continued.

"He was working undercover trying to get to an arms dealer or something, but to do that he needed to get close to someone in the inner circle," Jeanne said. Then, the avalanche came. She told Cara everything about their relationship, about the little house they almost bought. "My father came into D.C. and he wanted to meet Tony."

Her mind flashed back to the day. The case she had been working with the boy who'd died and Tony's perfect gunshot flooded her vision. She remembered the car blowing up, Tony sitting her down in the park, telling her what his mission was.

"He was after my father," Jeanne concluded. "They believed him to be an arms dealer and who knows what else. I was so angry at not only Tony but my father, that I left. I just roamed around for a little while trying to get myself together again before I returned and began working here."

A wave of fury passed through Cara's eyes. "He used you?" she asked.

Jeanne nodded, even though she knew there was more to it than that. He had just been doing his job.

"And you're helping him?" Cara spat, any sympathy she had held for Tony previously thrown out the window.

Again, Jeanne gave a slight nod, but spoke before Cara could open her mouth. "I thought I hated him after what he did. But, Cara, when he came in he looked so bad...my heart broke for him. His wife was killed-"

"His wife!" Cara interrupted, throwing her hands into the air. "Jeanne! The next thing you're going to say is he has a daughter out there somewhere that he needs you to find."

She knew it was a statement not meant to be answered, but Jeanne found her self talking once more. "His boss took her, Cara. He's a complete wreck."

Cara groaned and put her hands on Jeanne shoulders. "Did you listen to yourself. Think of what he did to you! He hurt you and know when he's hurting you're helping him." She pulled herself back and composed herself. "I know you are a good person, Jeanne. You always will be, but please think about yourself for once. What happens if he just up and leaves again?"

"I'm not in love with him," Jeanne stated indignantly.

Cara just raised an eyebrow and exited the room. Jeanne watched as the door closed and sighed. She had to admit that her story didn't put Tony in a great light, but she knew that this time things would end on a better note than they had before. She told herself this because this time it was a friend helping a friend. There wasn't any romance as there had been before. But Cara's words crept into her mind. Why had she believed that she was still in love with Tony? Did it seem that way?

"Oh, Dr. Benoit!"

She turned to see on of the medical students peeking his head into the door. "Dr. Cramer's looking for you. He has a new patient he wants you to see."

"Okay," she said softly, pushing herself off the wall. Hopefully Cara would understand with time why she was doing this.

But, she thought as she walked down the hall, did she really know herself, or was she just acting on a gut feeling?

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**Alright. No Tony, sorry. He'll come back soon. He need to spend some time with McGee. Tell me how you're liking this story!**

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	9. Chapter 8

**Hi again! I want to thank LadyRynofSunnydale, dancerlittle, anymousie, HawkEye DownUnder, and Ncis Rulz for reviewing!**

**Here's the next chapter.**

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**Chapter 8**

Leaning against the wall of the elevator, Jeanne watched as the last member of a large group exited the small quarters to the ground floor. For the past hour, she had stood in the elevator without getting out. Various families and a number of staff had sent her odd glances, but she ignored them all. She needed to think.

Why was she helping Tony? It was a simple question that she didn't have an answer to. Cara hadn't talked to her for the rest of the day and she was almost sure that most of the staff knew about her situation.

The elevator opened once more and she looked up. Staring at her was the chief of staff, George Carter. He walked to her and put an arm around her shoulder. "So, what are you still doing here?" he asked kindly. "Your shift ended an hour ago."

She shrugged and said softly, "I just needed to think."

He nodded. "I think you need to do whatever your heart is telling you to do." Jeanne looked up at him and he gave her a sympathetic smile. "Cara told me to knock some sense into you, but personally, I think what you're doing is very brave."

"I know, but no one understands. Maybe if I was more like them-"

"Jeanne," George interrupted sternly. "You are one of the best doctors I know, and do you know why?"

She rolled her eyes. "Because I went to a good medical school."

"No," he said firmly. "You're a good doctor because you care. You care about your patients more than anyone else. I can tell you that you're the only doctor in this hospital that takes extra shifts because you want to, not because you need to."

George paused for a moment to let her think about what he had said before continuing. "You're a very strong woman to be able to help someone that hurt you in the past."

"Are you sure that it's strong?" Jeanne questioned. "Maybe the adjective you're thinking of is stupid."

George turned her so she was facing him and stared into her eyes. Raising an eyebrow, he squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "I trust you to make the right decisions everyday here with your patients and I trust you now."

Jeanne smiled as the elevator dinged. The doors opened to show the lobby of the hospital's ground floor. George pulled his arms away and pointed out of the elevator. "Now, it's time for you to go home and take a nap. Forget about what Cara said, she's just blowing steam. She wants to protect you, you know. And so do I."

Jeanne felt him give her a small push and she walked out of the elevator into the lobby. The waiting room was nearly empty, except for an older couple. She waved to the woman at the front desk and pushed the door onto the street. Standing at the entrance to the hospital was Tony.

In his hand he held a balloon that said "Thank you" and a card. He held them out to her. "This is for all the help you've given me so far."

She took them in her hands, not expecting the gifts in the slightest. "Did you talk to McGee today?"

He nodded. "I did. He's been going to work, but he can't do much without the rest of his team." He turned to her as they began to walk. "How was your day?"

"Fine," she lied, not wanting to tell him of Cara's reaction.

Tony sighed and bit his lip. "I have a question," he said.

"Okay," she said. "What is it?"

They walked a few feet before Tony spoke. "I've been thinking about when Gibbs comes back and..." he paused. "How am I going to do this, Jeanne? I'm going to be a single father to a toddler. She's not even five yet!" He looked down at the ground. "She's not going to remember Ziva at all."

Jeanne looked down at the ground. "You're going to have to help her remember her, Tony," she told him, not knowing what else to say.

"I mean," Tony continued. "I was almost a teenager when my mother died and I can't remember too well. Only that she dressed me up in sailor suits."

"How old is she?" Jeanne asked.

Tony sighed. "She'll be five in August." They stayed silent until Tony began once more. "I expected her not to understand. I just told her that Mommy had to go away for a while and it was probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. But, I think she understood that...she's not coming back."

The two reached Jeanne's car and Tony stood off to the side as she got in. "I'll talk to you later, Jeanne," he said as she closed the door.

He turned away and Jeanne called out to him. "Do you need a ride, Tony?"

Shaking his head, he told her he had his car. She sat in her car and watched him turn the corner. He had tears in his eyes and she hoped he'd be careful driving home. The last thing his little girl needed was to be parentless at the age of five. Tears formed in her eyes as she thought about his daughter. She hadn't even asked for her name.

She couldn't help feeling sorry for the little girl who was barely five and without her mother. She rested her hands on the steering wheel, trying to imagine growing up without her mother. After a few moments, she stopped because she couldn't imagine her childhood without both of her parents like Tony's daughter would have to.

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**Thanks for reading. Sorry it's kind of short.**

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	10. Chapter 9

**Okay, here's the next chapter!**

**Thanks to LadyRynofSunnydale and dancerlittle for reviewing. It means a lot.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 9**

Jeanne pushed the phone down into the cradle and leaned back in her chair. Her shift was almost over and she had been trying to reach Tony all day. She had been thinking about the thank you card and wanted to make sure that he was really okay.

She shut her eyes. She had probably tried to call him a million times and each time, after the fourth ring, Tony's cheerful voice told her to leave a message. It was obviously a message he had recorded before the death of his wife.

But what got to her wasn't the message. It was the fact that Tony always carried his cellphone with him. It was his responsibility as a special agent to keep it on him at all times. He needed to be able to be reached. She knew this as well, as when she was on call she needed to respond when her beeper went off.

Standing up, she decided she couldn't take it any longer. She rushed into the locker room and grabbed her bag before signaling to George, who was now at the desk with one of the nurses, that she was heading out. He waved in acknowledgment as she strode toward the elevator.

It dinged in arrival and she ducked in once the way was clear, pressing the button that would direct the elevator to the ground floor. She rested the bag against the railing and reached inside. When she withdrew her hand, she held a small scrap of paper. She unfolded it and read it twice, memorizing the letters and numbers.

The scrap of paper had been attached to the note Tony had left nearly a week prior. On it, he had written his cellphone number and his address, along with the words _make yourself at home._ She read over the words one more time before the elevator doors opened and she shuffled out as a group made their way in.

She walked quickly to her car and set her bag down, leaving the scrap on the dashboard so she could make reference to it when needed. She placed her hands on the wheel and took a few deep breaths, telling herself that Tony was probably fine. But there was still a nagging feeling in her stomach that told her to check on him.

With the radio on quietly in the background, Jeanne drove twenty-five minutes to the D.C. suburb of Silver Spring, Maryland. Her eyes glanced back to the paper every once and while. She knew her way around fairly well as her mother lived there while she was in college. She was quickly in the residential section and she found herself slowing down to find the exact street.

Finally, the green street sign with the same name as the scrap of paper hit her eye. She turned left and slowly drove down the street. A few boys were playing basketball outside a brick house and two girls were running around with dolls in a yard whose driveway held a minivan. She stopped the car at a house toward the end of the street and looked up at the number. It matched that of the one on her paper so she parked on the side of the road.

She stepped out of her car and could hear the noise of her shoe hitting the brick of the walkway. The birds were chirping in a large tree in the front yard near the sidewalk. She took in the view of the house and thought about when she had talked to Tony about buying a house. As she neared the front door, she wondered if his fear of commitment in their relationship had been because of what was in front of her, what Tony already had in his life.

She walked up the stairs and noticed that the door closed. She pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and began to dial when she heard someone call out to her. Looking up, she noticed the woman next door. Tony's neighbor, who looked to be in her early sixties, was sitting with a friend and held a teacup in her hand.

"Are you looking for the DiNozzos?" she called out from the wrap-around porch of her home.

Jeanne nodded her head and took a step closer to the neighboring house. "Yeah," she said. "You don't know if Tony's home by any chance, do you?"

The woman shook her head, setting her teacup down on the railing. "I don't know if he's gone back to work yet, but if he did he usually leaves fairly early in the morning, before I'm awake." Then she sighed. "Poor thing. I take it you've heard about his wife."

Again, Jeanne nodded. "I have," she said. "Actually, I just wanted to check up on him for that reason."

"If it helps, I haven't seen him leave for a couple days," the woman told her. "He's not taking it too well, as you probably know. But, I'm glad to know he has a friend that will come to check on him."

She smiled at Jeanne and picked up her tea. She took a sip before holding up a finger, signalling Jeanne to wait. "You wouldn't be Jeanne Benoit, would you?"

"Yes," Jeanne said, wondering how the woman knew her name.

Tony's neighbor set her tea down on the small, round table on her porch and walked down the stairs. When she met Jeanne at Tony's driveway, she pulled a small note out from the pocket of her skirt and handed it to the younger woman. "About a week ago, Tony said that if you stopped by and he wasn't home, to give this to you," the woman said, patting Jeanne's hand as she passed her the tiny envelope.

Jeanne smiled and thanked her, but the woman just shook her head. "No, thank you for what you're doing for him. I'm just being a good neighbor."

She turned and shuffled back across the yard. Jeanne turned her attention to the letter and opened it. A key fell out into the palm of her hand. There was no note inside, just the key, which had been wrapped in lined paper. Jeanne smiled as she walked back to the door and slid the key in the lock. She heard it click softly and pushed it open before letting herself in and closing the red, wooden door behind her.

She walked around quietly. The entry way was a terrible mess of boxes. Curious, she knelt beside one and opened the cardboard. Various items were stacked on top of each other but one in particular caught her eye. Reaching in, she pulled out a scrapbook. She couldn't imagine Tony, or Ziva from what Tony had told her, making it and decided to take a look

Leading herself to the living room, she sat down on the couch and opened the front cover. On the inside, it read in nice script: _To Ziva and Tony, hope your lives together are filled with happiness. Love Jenny._

Jeanne thought she recognized the name from what Tony had told her and continued to flip through. It was a beautiful scrapbook that looked to have had many hours spent on it. There were pictures from what looked like dinners and office parties, followed by wedding photos. She reached the last page and looked at it for a moment.

There was a picture of just the bride and groom, looking extremely happy, as well as a picture of the two with a few others. She recognized Gibbs but the rest looked foreign to her. She could only assume that the younger man beside Tony was McGee. There were two women, one redhead and one goth. Also in the group was an older gentleman.

She set the scrapbook on the coffee table and looked around the living room. On the mantle of the fireplace were a few pictures that were flipped over. She stood and walked to them, taking one in her hands. It must have been taken just after their daughter was born, as the two proud parents were smiling at the camera, Ziva holding a small pink bundle. Jeanne set it down so the picture was visible and turned.

On the floor was a piece of construction paper. She lifted it in her hands and felt tears come to her eyes. There were little doodles of stickmen and women. A tall stickman was labeled 'Grandpa', and another labeled 'Uncle Probie'. A shorter stickman was labeled 'Ducky' and beside him was as black stickwoman labeled 'Auntie Abby', with two lines coming from her head for hair. Beside Abby was a stickwoman with scribbles of short red hair and the name 'Auntie Jenny'. There was also a smaller one in the corner with the name 'Palmer' over it.

In the very middle of the picture was a tall stickman and woman labeled 'Daddy' and 'Mommy', whose hands were holding the hands of a small stickgirl with the word 'me' over it. At the top were the words 'my family' in multi sized, childlike letters. There were also a few words of what Jeanne thought was Italian and a few marks of Hebrew. She deduced that it was probably the different ways of saying 'my family' in the two languages of her parents.

Feeling the tears come to her eyes, she sat down on the hardwood floor, leaning again the coffee table. The picture had been so innocent, yet it reminded her that Tony's daughter was four. The age was much too young to go without a mother.

She wiped the tears away and stood up, putting the picture on the table. She decided to see if Tony was upstairs. As she climbed the stairs, she couldn't help but feel a little weird roaming through Tony's house without him. But, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that this could help her. It would help her get to know what he was like and how to help him.

And, the first thing she decided to do was to help him unpack all the boxes. She couldn't let him just box up all of Ziva and hide his sadness. He needed to remember her, if not for himself, for his daughter.

The first door on the right was a spare bedroom and the door beyond that seemed to be the master bedroom. She looked in both but didn't see Tony in either. She opened the door across from the master bedroom and walked inside. The walls were shades of blue and purple with white furniture and a small bed. On the wall was large letters that spelled out the name Tali. She frowned, wondering why the name seemed so familiar to her, because she didn't know how she knew the name.

A soft, sniffling noise filled her ear and she walked around to the back of the bed. Tony was sitting on the ground, his head in his hands. Jeanne knelt beside him and took him in her arms, feeling hot tears of sympathy falling down her cheeks.

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**So, what did you think.**

**Also, I would like to ask for any criticism or thoughts on this. I really appreciate it when you tell me what you like or dislike. That makes me a better writer, which is what everyone is trying to become on this site.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Review!**


	11. Chapter 10

**Sorry about the long length of time between this and the last update. Lacrosse preseason started last week and my teachers all decided it was time to give out a ton of homework, so with lacrosse and homework, I barely had time to sleep. It's a lot shorter than I had hoped but I wanted to get it up before I went to bed and another week came without a post.**

**Oh, also, this takes place almost immediately after the last chapter (chapter 9) at Tony's house, just in case you don't remember. It has been a while. **

**Thanks to: vamp926, dancerlittle, LadyRynofSunnydale, losingmymind2, NcisRulz, and kit for reviewing!**

**Enjoy.**

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**Chapter 10**

Jeanne stood at the bottom of the stairs and watched Tony's tentative steps. He had calmed down but his face still showed his apparent grief. His cheeks were tear stained and bloodshot eyes were glazed over. She leaned against the wall as he descended slowly down the staircase.

She knew that this step in his healing process was going to be the most difficult for him. Her eyes wandered to the dozens of packed up boxes that lined the floor of the house. It was going to be hard for him to unpack all of the belongings he had put in the boxes, the belongings that reminded him of her.

"Tony," she said softly. "Just take it slow."

He nodded before stepping toward the nearest box. His hands shaking, he opened the cardboard cover and looked inside. His bottom lip quivered slightly as he reached his hands into the box. He pulled out small collectibles and pictures in frames. Jeanne leaned against a wall as he looked at the pictures with tears threatening to fall. Finally, he lifted a photo album from the cardboard and tossed the empty box to the side.

"Do you want to look at it with me?" he asked, looking up with almost pleading eyes.

She nodded and sat down beside him on the bottom step. He opened the album and placed it on his lap. The first couple seemed to be taken at a crime scene, most likely by Tony, as there various people Jeanne did and did not recognize searching the ground. A chuckle escaped Tony's mouth. He pointed to a picture of, what Jeanne thought was, McGee. He was glaring at Tony and standing in water, soaking wet. Ziva stood beside him, also soaking wet, but laughing at McGee.

Turning the page, there were more photos from the day. A few were of a man with circular glasses, following an older gentleman like a puppy. There was also one Tony had taken of himself, his face contorted to look like an angry bear. Behind him stood Gibbs with a less than pleased look on his face.

"That's when I stopped," Tony muttered. "But, Abby liked seeing them."

Jeanne smiled at him as he flipped the page. They stayed silent, looking at the pictures quickly until Tony stopped on one of the pages. The pictures appeared to be taken at some sort of picnic or gathering.

"Jenny decided she wanted bonding for the teams," Tony said quietly. "Gibbs almost blew her head off, but she won in the end. It was a good time after a while. Abs was running around taking pictures of everyone."

He pointed to one of the pictures. McGee was sleeping, sun screen splattered all over his face. "McGee's kinda the butt of all of our jokes," Tony told her. "But he knows it's nothing against him."

He chuckled and smiled sadly. Jeanne followed his eyes to the page. "Ziva tried everything to get out of going, but Jenny wouldn't let her. She was so mad the entire day. Everyone tried to steer clear of her, except me and Gibbs."

"Why didn't she want to go?" Jeanne asked.

He grinned. "Well, she was pregnant at the time and she didn't want everyone fussing over her, which is exactly what happened until everyone realized she was an angry, pregnant ex-assassin with a gun."

Jeanne's forehead furrowed in confusion. "Why would she bring a gun to a company picnic?"

Tony shrugged. "It was just Ziva. She slept with her sig under her pillow." He looked down at the picture. "I guess I understand, I mean given her previous history, but there were a few times when I tried to wake her up from a nightmare and I'd find a gun pressed to my temple."

She allowed her eyes to focus on the pictures. What Tony had told her, the childhood that Ziva had endured and been anything but the one she herself had lived. She had a loving mother, one that gave her everything she desired. Her father, although not around as much as she would have liked, had adored her. Not to mention the fact that she had grown up far from any bombings.

They sat in silence as they flipped through the rest of the pages of the album before finishing and picking up another. Before long, in the photos Tony was holding a little baby. She watched through the photos as the child grew, big brown eyes gazing up at the camera. When the album ended, she appeared to be about two years old.

Tony set the photo album down and hurried to the boxes, as if unpacking them quickly would ease the pain. He looked on the outsides, checking the writing to see if it said anything such as fragile or clothes on the side before opening it and peering inside. He took one of the boxes in his arms and set it down in front of her on the stairs before taking his seat beside her.

"Open it," he instructed her.

She looked down and carefully tore the tape before lifting up the cover. She opened it and looked at him before she peeked inside herself. A smile played with the corners of her lips as she lifted the objects out and placed them on the stairs between them.

"This," he said, pointing to a knife. "She kept concealed at her waist. The guns," he added, pointing to each of the guns Jeanne had withdrawn, "were on her, or near her, at all times."

A light chuckle rumbled out of his chest. "You did not want to get on her bad side."

The lights dimmed outside as the night crawled closer and soon there was only one box left. Items had been put away, stored back in their boxes for storage or placed around the house as keepsakes. Tony had been avoiding the last box and was now looking around for something else he could do. Jeanne lightly touched his hand, telling him that she was there and he was not alone to deal with whatever he did not want to see. He nodded and walked to the container. Jeanne stood and knelt beside him, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder as tears welled in his eyes.

The only item in the box was a clear, plastic bag. Jeanne felt her own stomach drop as she realized what was inside. It was the bag they had given Tony the day she died, the bag with her belongings in it. It was untouched from that day. He opened it and spread the contents on the floor around him.

Bloodstained clothes looked out of place on the warm tones of the hardwood. Tony picked up her wedding and engagement ring, holding them in his clenched fist before pocketing them in his jeans. He placed her badge to the side before looking up at Jeanne, a necklace in his palm.

"It's beautiful," Jeanne said, noticing how the gold of the star of David glistened in the light.

"She'd want Tali to have this," he whispered, whether to himself or her Jeanne didn't know.

"I bet she would," Jeanne told him, not sure if he heard her. He seemed to be in his own world, his eyes focused on the gold of the necklace.

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**So, tell me what you think!**

**Thanks!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Okay, this chapter is a long time in the making. Since vacation starts today (yes! A week with no school, starting on Monday!) we have had sooooo much homework that I could barely finish it all with my practices and such. I ended up doing some of it in my study hall (what a marvelous invention!) right before math class.**

**So, I've been thinking about this for a while. It might not be as good because I really want to get it up quickly, but here it is.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 11**

Jeanne hated to leave Tony, but he convinced her that she needed to go to work and he needed a little time to himself. Her mind had played the picture over and over again in her head through out the days that had passed. She'd see Tony, sitting on his couch in his living room, the gold necklace in the palm of his right hand.

Needless to say, it was distracting her.

It had taken all her strength to keep from crying out at the memory. It had been an emotional day as she watched Tony take the objects that clearly reminded him of Ziva from the boxes that had lined the hallways of his home.

She had decided to give him the space that he needed to sort through his thoughts and emotions, but she couldn't keep her mind off of him, hoping that he was okay. It had only been a few days since she saw him, but it felt like an eternity. At every break she wanted to get on the phone and hear his voice, telling her that he was fine and not breaking down. She had faith in him that he could overcome this, with the correct amount of time.

"Jeanne?"

She lifted her head and sighed, turning away from the voice. Cara patted her arm and she pushed herself off the wall she was standing against, not wanting to hear her put downs against Tony. Her mind was raging, her body nearly shaking with anger. Cara didn't know Tony; she had no right to judge him.

"Jeanne!"

A groan escaped her mouth as she continued down the hall, grabbing a chart and looking at it as she went. The sound of sneakers hitting tile filled her ears and when she looked up she saw Cara standing in front of her.

She lowered the chart. "I really don't have time to hear you telling me who I should and shouldn't be helping."

Cara opened her mouth, but Jeanne cut her off. "Because, you don't know Tony like I do. He's not the big bad monster that you think he is. He's actually rather sweet and is going through an extremely tough time right now."

"Jeanne, I wasn't going to say that."

Raising her eyebrows skeptically, Jeanne stared at her, silently telling her to continue. Cara shifted her weight from one leg to the other, her eyes focused on the floor, before she began to speak. "I worked on her," she whispered to her coworker.

"Who?" Jeanne questioned, not knowing what Cara was talking about.

The nurse looked up at Jeanne with tears filling her eyes. "I didn't know, but when you said that his wife died here, I checked." She lifted a chart and handed it to her coworker.

Jeanne took the folder in her hand, the first word hitting her eyes almost immediately. On the side, in bold, dark lettering, was the name DiNozzo. She flipped it open and read through the file. It was the records that the hospital kept. "You probably shouldn't have taken this," she told Cara.

The nurse shrugged. "I just wanted to see. And I was right." She pointed to a line near the bottom. "Next of kin: Anthony DiNozzo," she read aloud.

She watched attentively as Jeanne carefully skimmed the page, a solemn look falling over her features. Feeling a lump in her throat and seeing Jeanne's quiet reaction, she explained what she remembered from the day. "She was in bad shape. We were all surprised she made it to the hospital alive, to be honest. Gun shot wound to the chest less than an inch from her heart." She shook her head. "That was right before you met that little girl with the hippo. Did you ever give it to the children's ward?"

Jeanne slowly moved her head from side to side at the attempt to get off the topic of Tony's deceased wife.

Cara bit her bottom lip lightly. "I'm sorry about the way I acted before, but I think I understand why you're doing this."

Handing her the folder, Jeanne turned on her heel. "You should probably put that back where it came from," she muttered. "I'm glad you know though. He needs my help."

She walked off, leaving Cara standing in the hallway. She knew it was somewhat rude and uncharacteristically cold of her, but Cara had hurt her feelings. She had questioned her ability to help Tony without getting hurt in the process. The older woman didn't follow her, instead she just stood in her spot watching her young companion walk away.

Jeanne entered the nurses station and sat down in a chair. It was time for her break and she was just going to float around, looking for patients that needed help and assistance. She grabbed the computer mouse and began to search the hospitals system. A pair of footsteps hit her ears and she looked up.

Her eyes glazed over with concern. "Tony?" she asked. "What are you doing here? Are you okay?"

He nodded and leaned against the counter. "I just got back from NCIS," he told her quietly. His eyes roamed the room for a moment. Then they focused on her as he said, "I'm going in to work tomorrow."

"Are you sure?" she asked, sounding like a concerned mother speaking to her child.

He nodded. "I think it's time." He reached over and took her hand in his. "I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am for you. Without you, I don't know where I'd be."

She shook her head, but he continued. "No, really. I was looking through an old photo album that I took out of one of the boxes and realized in boxing it all up, I took her out of my life. I need to remember her, not only for me but for Tali as well."

Jeanne smiled at him. "Good for you, Tony," she told him sincerely. "But, if you feel overwhelmed tomorrow, don't be afraid to call me. I'll be here for you."

A small grin spread across his face. "I know, that's because you're a great friend and a good person." He ran a hand through his hair. "I...uh...fixed my will while I was there, too," he added quietly.

She looked at him quizzically. "Why?"

"Well, most of my belongings went to Ziva and that obvious can't work anymore," he muttered softly under his breath. His voice changed, becoming deeper and louder, more confident. "But, in my line of work, I have to be ready. We all learned that. If something happens to me, Tali needs to be taken care of."

Jeanne nodded as Tony continued. "I hope you don't mind, but uh...I put you as her legal guardian if I die before she's old enough to take care of herself."

She looked at Tony, a look of confusion filling her eyes. "Me?" she questioned.

"Yeah," Tony nodded, drumming his fingers on the counter. "I know that she'll be taken care of and...to be honest, there's not another person who I'd want her with. I want her to grow up like you, kind with a good heart." His voice caught in his throat. "And I know that you'll help her remember me and remember her mother."

Jeanne just stared at Tony, astonished at the new knowledge. She blinked once. "What about Gibbs?"

Tony shrugged. "Gibbs is getting older and will probably retire to Mexico on one of his damn boats sooner or later. I don't want him tied down with a little girl."

She thought for sure she heard him whisper something that sounded like, 'it reminds him too much of Kelly.' She let it go and took a deep breath. "Well," she said after a moment. "I'm honored, Tony, but hopefully it doesn't have to go into effect."

A slight smile gained access on his lips. "Yeah, but just to be sure," he said.

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**So, what do you think?**

**Review!**


	13. Chapter 12

_Okay, so I've been trying to write this for a while, but I haven't had much time. Then, on Tuesday, I watched NCIS and got really mad at Jeanne for accusing Tony of murder. So, I had to take a break. _

_Now that "Internal Affairs" has aired, this is officially AU and takes place in a time where the body of La Grenouille, aka Rene Benoit, has not been discovered. So basically, this is in disregard to anything passed Season 5 Episode 14._

_Sorry it's short. Thanks for reading!_

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**Chapter 12**

Jeanne awoke the next morning to the insistent ringing of her telephone. She thought about letting it ring until it hit the answering machine and, in her half-awake state, she almost allowed herself to do so. It wasn't work because she wasn't on call, so the person that was calling could let her sleep.

On the last ring she bolted out of bed and grabbed the phone, more awake than she would have been if she had been dunked in ice water. Tony, how could she be so stupid to forget that Tony was going back to work that day.

"Hello?" she said into the receiver.

"I can't do this," came the quiet reply. She heard a sniffle. "I can't, Jeanne."

She sighed and she rested her feet on the floor. She had known that this would be hard for him. Going back to work was the last step in Tony's realization that his wife, his partner, was gone and never coming back. "Tony," she said. "You have to be strong."

"You don't understand!" he exclaimed. "I'm sitting at my desk staring right at hers and all its emptiness. Gibbs not being here is an added bonus, making that side of the room look even more abandoned than it already is!"

Jeanne didn't say anything, sure that he could continue. He had called to vent. "I'm all alone here," he added after a moment.

She stood from her bed and leaned against the wall of her room. "McGee's probably there, right?" she asked, trying to make him realize that there were people at work that he could talk to.

A loud banging noise was heard on the other side of the line as Tony replied. "That's just it. McGee's been down with Abby all day. He's avoiding me like the plague, which in and of itself is ironic, but never mind. I am truly all by myself. Jenny's in a meeting, Ducky's down with the bodies, Palmer's I don't know where and I don't think I want to."

He sighed. "See, this is what it's like at the office. McGee goes down to speak geek with Abby, Ducky and Palmer are in Autopsy, Gibbs is either getting coffee or with the director, and Ziva and I would act like little kids." He paused for a moment. "Maybe I'll put SuperGlue on McGee's keyboard again, we always laughed at that."

Jeanne rolled her eyes, not entirely convinced that Tony was going to let that idea drop.

"Everyone's giving me _that _look," he said. "You know, the I'm-so-sorry-for-your-loss look that no one likes yet everyone gives anyway. I hate this; I need to get out of here!"

"Tony, listen to me," she said, sliding down the wall so she was sitting on the floor. "This will help you, trust me. It's going to be hard, but you need to stick with it. Those people will just keep giving you that look if you leave early." She sighed. "Think of Tali."

He took a deep breath. "Yeah, Tali. You know, I slept in her bed last night."

Jeanne smiled sadly. "You must really miss her."

There was a long pause before Tony, in an uncharacteristic monotone, told her, "it feels like she'd dead, too." A small sniffle was heard and he sighed. "I was thinking about her and how she's probably taking this a lot better than I am. She's a lot like Ziva, she's good with concealing her emotions."

He drummed his fingers on his desk and waited to see if Jeanne would reply. When she didn't, he began to speak once more. "I had a nightmare last night, like the ones I had when she first died, but at the end, Gibbs left with Tali...and he never came back."

"He'll come back," Jeanne told him. "When you're ready, he'll come back."

"I know," he said quietly, the tears apparent in his voice. "I just...I miss them both so much. I was scared to death when I found out I was going to be a father, but now I feel like I'd be nothing if she was gone from my life, especially now with Ziva gone."

He chuckled darkly. "Funny how an event like this can make you reflect on what's really important in life."

She nodded, although she knew he couldn't tell. "Yeah, it's sad the way that works."

They were silent for a few moments before Tony cleared his throat. He sighed. "It's only seven thirty, I'll let you get some more sleep."

"Are you going to be okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm going to go down to see Abby and McGee. We don't have any cases so we're basically just hanging out working on some paperwork."

She nodded. "If you want, you can call me if you're feeling like this again, Tony. Don't hesitate."

He was quiet for a minute. Then he told her sincerely, "I won't, Jeanne. I promise."

There was a click and Tony disconnected the line. Jeanne sighed, getting up to place the phone back in its cradle. She leaned on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. She wanted Tony to know that she was there for him and that he didn't need to put up a strong front all the time. He was still in the grieving process, and would be for a long time, but that was okay. It meant he had feelings and he was healing.

She stayed at home, sitting on the couch and flipping through the channels. Tony only called her once more that day, but she knew he was healing. He was slowly weaning off of her support. When he called, which was around dinner time, they talked about him and then he had asked about her.

A smile spread across her face as she rested her head on her pillow that night. He wanted to do something nice for her, for all the things she'd done for him. But, the sweetest gesture hadn't been in his want to give her something, whether it be dinner or a gift. It had been in his words.

"Jeanne, I want to stay friends with you," he had said. "I know, we may have to work on it a little because of our history, but you've helped me so much."

The smile remained on her face all night.


	14. Chapter 13

_Okay, I know there is no excuse for the amount of time I made you all wait for this, but my life has been stressful lately. My day has literally been: wake-up, finish last night's math homework, go to school, work on what I didn't finish that morning of last night's math homework in study hall second block, go to math and get more homework, go to practice/game after school for 2-4 hours, go home and do math homework until midnight, sleep for 6 hours. _

_Yeah, you kind of see that there is no space. I almost missed Recoil because of stupid math, (which by the way was sooo intense and awesome, especially after In The Zone. Did anyone else not particularly like that one? I thought it focused too much on Jardine and not on Tony or the team.)_

_So, I have to admit, this one probably not one of my best chapters because I'm trying to get it out there. I think, personally, it's a little rushed, but..._

_Enjoy!_

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**Chapter 13**

Each day after his first day back, Tony's days seemed to get better and better. Jeanne, instead of getting calls during the day, would hear about Tony's work at dinner a couple times a week. He would tell her about the cases he had - but they weren't extraordinary, he said, because there was only two field agents - and the practical jokes he played on his coworkers, mainly McGee.

And she found, as the weeks went on, that she could talk to him as well. She found that he was a good listener and could help her cope after losing a patient, much as she had helped him. Their friendship was growing immensely and Jeanne couldn't remember a time when she had a friend like this, someone she could tell everything to. She didn't even tell Cara everything.

So it didn't surprise the staff at Memorial Hospital when Tony called one day in the late afternoon for Jeanne. She was quite happy to pick up the phone and get away from the patients for a little while, all complaining about wanting to be out in the early-summer sun.

"Dr. Benoit," she said, as if she didn't know who was on the other line.

Tony's voice seemed excited on the other end of the phone and she could almost see him jumping up and down like a child in a candy store. "Jeanne, I have something to tell you."

"I'm listening," she told him, taking a seat at the desk.

"No," he said. "Come by my place after your shift. I'll tell you then." And in his apparent excitement, he hung up the phone without a goodbye.

She thought for a moment about what could excite him and had to do with her. The fact that he wouldn't tell her over the phone was a dead giveaway that it was serious and she spent the next couple hours of her shift trying to figure out what it was.

Finally six o'clock rolled around and it was time for a new batch of doctors to take over. Jeanne took her coat and bag out of her locker, still pondering the idea. She thought she might know what it was, but she was still unsure. She waved goodbye to Cara, who was walking to the locker room as she descended down the hall toward the elevators.

This was the first time she had gone to Tony's house since she had helped him unpack all of Ziva's things. She hoped, for his sake, that he had cleaned up a little and had put the pictures back on the walls. The house had been cold that day, with the pictures flipped over and boxes lining the hallway.

She pulled up in front of Tony's house and noticed his neighbor sitting on her porch. It was the same woman who had given her Tony's note that day she had come to help him out. The older woman seemed to remember her, as she gave a slight wave in Jeanne's direction. Jeanne waved back and knocked on Tony's front door. She heard him shout, "Come in!"

She opened the door and walked into the front hallway. The boxes were gone and the hardwood floors gleamed. There was a picture of Tony and Ziva on the wall and next to it one of a cute toddler grinning a toothless smile. She continued her inspection and walked into the living room. The photos on the mantle that had once been flipped were now upright for everyone to see. She took a closer look and her eyes widened.

Looking back at her was a little girl, no more than four, with dark curls falling to her shoulders. Her eyes were a beautiful light brown that sparkled in the sun. She was sitting on Gibbs's lap in, what appeared to be, a park. Jeanne took the photo in her hand, knowing exactly why the little girl was familiar.

It was the little girl with the stuffed hippo.

She sat down on Tony's couch, her mind racing. She remembered the oriental woman yelling her name and the little girl looking up.

"_You're too much like your father."_

All of the pieces made sense to her now. The things the little girl said about Bethesda and how her father always got hit on the back of the head by her grandfather, how her name had been so familiar when she had seen it written on the wall.

"So," she whispered to the picture. "You're Tony's daughter."

She stood and placed it back on the mantle as Tony called her name. He entered the room and leaned against the doorframe. "There you are," he said. "I flipped them all over like you said to."

"I can see," she told him, turning away with her newfound revelation. "What's for dinner?"

He motioned for her to follow him. "Pasta a la DiNozzo," he told her, a slight tone of pride in his voice. "It's Tali's favorite, made with the secret family sauce."

Tony led her to the dining room where their plates were piled high with steaming pasta. He pulled out her chair for her before sitting in his own seat. At first, they talked about the hospital and NCIS. Nothing interesting had happened to her and Tony said all he did was hang out in the lab with Abby and McGee.

"So, what got you so excited then?" she asked, placing her fork down on the side of her plate.

His eyes lit up and a smile, a genuine smile, spread across his face. "Oh, yeah. Gibbs called today."

A smile found it's way on to her lips as well. "Gibbs?" she repeated. When he nodded, she added, "what did he say?"

"Oh, he went about it very Gibbs-like," he said, then put on his impersonator voice. "He said, 'Abs, don't you even think about having McGee trace this call!' which she had already told him to do. He knows Abby too well. Then he said something about having all the cold cases 'done and filed' by the time he was back.

"And right before he hung up, he said, 'oh, and DiNozzo, we're landing in Dulles on Thursday.'"

Jeanne gasped. "He's coming back?"

Tony nodded, his smile stretching from ear to ear. "He's bringing Tali back."

This is what they had been working toward: Tony's reunion with his daughter. Jumping up, Jeanne wrapped her arms around him, both extremely happy with the news. Gibbs coming back meant that Tony, while still upset over the death of his wife, was ready for the transition of being a single father and working. He was going to be just fine; he was going to be Tony DiNozzo with the attitude he had before the incident..

"You know," Tony said after they had returned to their seats. "This sorta reminds me of a movie..."

And Jeanne laughed, even before he made the reference. Yes, he was definitely Tony again.


	15. Chapter 14

_**Alright, this chapter has been a long time coming, I know. I started writing this before Judgement Day, which was insanely sad. So, no long note at the beginning because I know you all want to read.**_

_**Thanks to those who reviewed.**_

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**Chapter 14**

Jeanne had promised Tony that she would be there with him when the plane landed, so she had switched shifts with someone at work. Thursday rolled around and Tony picked her up from the hospital before the two of them drove to Dulles International Airport. Now, as the plane's time of arrival drew closer, Tony paced the floor while Jeanne sat on a bench, a large bag on the chair next to her.

She felt terrible watching Tony nearly pull his hair out with worry that Gibbs had changed his mind and, in fact, wasn't coming back. "Tony, calm down," she said as he made a scuff mark on the tile floor.

He sent her a look. "Calm down! What if Gibbs doesn't come back with her? What if I'm not ready?" He sat down on the floor as an older couple walked passed him, giving him sympathetic glances that he ignored.

Jeanne stood from the bench and knelt beside Tony. "You'll be great, Tony," she told him sincerely. He looked up at her with suspicion. "I always thought you'd make a great father."

"Really?"

She nodded as a warm smile spread across her face. Her hand fell to his shoulder. "You'll be fine, Tony."

He sighed and looked up at her with fear in his eyes. "What if he doesn't come?"

Jeanne just shook her head. "From what you've told me of Gibbs, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy to lie," she said. She'd gotten the impression that Tony's fearless boss was outspoken and honest and she was positive that he wouldn't lie, especially when it meant as much as this homecoming did to Tony.

"Yeah, I suppose," he said, before tracing the outline of the tile with his finger. A large group of people entered the waiting area and Tony lifted his head, scanning the crowd. After finding that none of them were his boss or daughter, he let his eyes fall back down to the ground, muttering, "not their flight." Jeanne sighed at his apparent disappointment.

"Daddy!"

The two lifted their heads to see a little girl running down the escalator at top speed, a smile on her face. Tony stood and opened his arms to her. As she ran toward them, Jeanne saw more of Tony in her than she had at the hospital the first day. They had the same wide smile, pointed chin, and innocent face.

She ran into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Did you miss me?" she asked with the melodic and mature voice Jeanne remembered from the day they had met.

"More than you'll ever know," Tony muttered, holding her tightly, as if he felt he'd lose her if he let her go. His green eyes were flooding with tears. "I missed you so much, Tals."

The little girl pulled away. "Don't cry, Daddy," she said, wiping away a tear with her forefinger. "It's going to be okay now."

Jeanne watched as Tony looked around before addressing his daughter, "where's Grandpa?"

"Right behind you," came a low-toned reply.

Tony nearly fell backwards, obviously not expecting the voice. He sent a glare at his boss, who stood with a smirk on his face and a coffee cup in his hand, before turning back to Tali. "Where did he take you? Was it fun?"

She nodded excitedly. "First, we went to California. I got to go to Disneyland, Daddy! I saw Donald!"

"Donald Duck?" Tony asked, his tone nearly as excited as Tali's.

"Yeah!" she exclaimed, a giant smile on her face. "Then, we went to the zoo and I saw pandas and elephants!" She took off her pink backpack and unzipped the front compartment. She took out a picture and showed it to Tony. "That's me in front of the hippo cage. See! He's sitting on that rock! I can't wait to show it to Auntie Abby!"

Tony smiled down at the picture. "I think she'll like this a lot, Tali."

"Then, Daddy, we went to Mexico and stayed with Mike Franks."

Jeanne looked on confused as Tony's smile turned into an immediate frown. He stood and glared at Gibbs. "You took her to Mike Franks's?" Gibbs gave him a look, but Tony hadn't finished his rant. "Does he have anything in his refrigerator that's doesn't contain alcohol in it?"

Gibbs glared back. "Would I take her there if I thought she'd be in danger?" Tony didn't reply. "She had a nice time with Camila, and yes, he does have non-alcoholic drinks. I called ahead of time."

Tali tugged at Tony's sleeve. "Yeah, Daddy. Camila taught me a few Spanish words. They sound kind of like your Italian ones. And we went on a boat in the ocean. Plus, Grandpa took me to synagogue every week."

"Really?" Tony seemed impressed. "Mommy would be very proud of you for remembering."

But, the little girl was no longer listening and Jeanne found that a pair of brown eyes were focused on her with curiosity. Jeanne didn't know if Tali remembered her or not, but her eyes were locked on her. "Hello," Jeanne said, wanting her to feel more comfortable around her.

It was as if she needed voice recognition. A small smile lit up her face. "I remember you," she said knowingly.

"Really?" Jeanne questioned. Tali nodded and Tony's head spun from his daughter to his friend.

"What?" he asked, his voice full of confusion.

Jeanne chuckled silently at Tony's reaction and was about to explain when Tali turned to her father. "I talked to her in the hospital the day Mommy died. I didn't know you were friends."

Tony starred at Jeanne with a look of disbelief and obviously at a loss for words. Jeanne turned and grabbed the bag off the bench. She opened it and took out what was concealed inside. A small smile spread across her face as she lifted the stuffed hippo from the plastic and handed it to its rightful owner.

Tali's eyes lit up as she took the stuffed animal in her arms. "Chaya!" she exclaimed, hugging it tightly. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Then she looked up at Tony. "Daddy! Look!"

But Tony's eyes were still focused on Jeanne, sending her a look of gratitude. With the silent thank you still in his eyes, he turned to his daughter. "See, I told you that you'd get Chaya back if you were good."

Jeanne stood and backed away, watching from a distance next to Gibbs at the continuation of the homecoming.


	16. Epilogue

_**Alright, this is the last chapter. I know it's been a while, but here it is.**_

_**Thanks to those thoughtful souls who give their time to review.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

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**Epilogue**

It had been eleven years. Eleven years since she'd seen Tony reunite with his daughter. Eleven years since she'd helped him in his weakest moment. Although, it didn't seem like that long ago. She felt as if those eleven years had gone by all too quickly.

Not much had changed for her. She still worked at Memorial Hospital. She still lived in her apartment. But her life was fuller now than ever before.

"Hello, Mr. Sampson!" Jeanne greeted, opening the door to a patient's room. She held the chart and plastered a genuine smile on her face.

The older man looked up and smiled. "Dr. Benoit," the man responded, his voice thick with a New York accent. He looked behind her. "I see you have an assistant today. Is she your daughter?"

Jeanne looked behind her as well and shook her head. "No," she replied. "No, this is my niece Tali."

Tali walked up and sat in the chair beside Mr. Sampson's bed and began to talk with him. She was a social butterfly, just like her father. Jeanne watched from a distance as the two discussed various topics, from sports to business to television, with a grin. Her mind was replaying the day in the airport.

On the way out, Tali had looked up at her. "Are you my new mommy?"

Jeanne had been shocked, but the toddler just starred up at her, awaiting an answer to her simple question. It had been Tony who had grabbed Tali off the floor and said, "no, she's your new Auntie."

This answer seemed to please her. "Like Auntie Abby?"

Tony had nodded. "Like Auntie Abby."

She shook the memory out of her head. As the years passed, Jeanne sometimes forgot that the little girl wasn't her biological niece. She loved Tali as much as she'd love her own children, if she had any. She cleared her throat and the two looked up at her. "Tali, can you take this to Cara?" she asked.

Tali nodded and took the paper from Jeanne's hands. Then she turned back to Mr. Sampson. "Oh, and there is no way the Yankees are making it to the playoffs this year," she added, before skipping out of the room.

Mr. Sampson chuckled before looking up at Jeanne. "She's a sweet girl."

Jeanne nodded. "I know. It's career day at her school today and I told her she could shadow me."

"She's lucky to have an aunt like you," Mr. Sampson said with a knowing smile. Jeanne blushed at the compliment. She told Mr. Sampson that he would need to stay the night for observation, and that he seemed to be fine. He nodded, only a bit unhappy that he would miss his golf tournament later that afternoon, but joked that life gave a man a lot of lemons when he gets older.

She left the room and walked to the cafeteria, finding Tali and Cara sitting at a table. The two were talking amicably about a television show that they both watched.

"Hey, Kiddo, come on," Jeanne said as she approached. "I have to get you home in time for McGee's award supper."

"Thom E. Gemcity's award supper," Tali corrected, looking up. She waved goodbye to Cara before standing up to follow Jeanne.

"Same thing," she said as the two entered the elevator. The ride home was filled with laughter and gossip, and when they stopped in front of the DiNozzo residence, Tali grinned up at her.

"You have to see my dress. It's absolutely gorgeous!"

She dashed up the stairs and Jeanne went into the living room once they entered. She leaned against the doorframe. Tony was seated on the couch, dressed in a black suit, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. Jeanne knew today was a tough day for him.

Today was their wedding anniversary. The eleventh time that it had come around and she hadn't been there to share it with him.

"McGee told me it would get easier with time. That, after a while I would get over it, " Tony said, not even looking up to see if Jeanne was really in the room like he thought. She kept her position leaning against the doorframe. "I should have listened to Gibbs."

She waited until Tony looked up to ask, "what did Gibbs say?"

A smile spread across his face. "Suck it up; it only gets worse the more you think about what you could have done."

She couldn't help it, she smiled as well and the two burst into laughter. It was a Gibbs personality trait, bluntness. It was one of the things that Jeanne had learned over the years that made Gibbs the man he was. That, and his black coffee.

"Thank you," Tony said as the room went silent when their laughter stopped.

"For what?" she asked, confused. As far as she knew, she hadn't done anything lately that would require a thank you.

"For everything," he told her. And with his tone, his look, and his words, she knew what he was talking about. He was talking about what she had done eleven years ago.

"It's nothing, Tony," she said. "Just a friend helping a friend is all."

* * *

_**So, that's the end. I have another idea for a story. I'm not sure when I'll get the time to post, because our last week and a half starts next week, but I have the first couple chapters written.**_

_**Thanks for reading!**_


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